The Ringbearess
by Love2Write
Summary: When Diamond finds the ring, Sauron appears and tells her that if she doesn't give him the ring, he'll kill her sweetheart (Pippin). And when Diamond finds out that invisibility is actually a bridge between two worlds, things get stranger. PLEASE READ AND
1. Someone Nicknamed Sassy

Author's Note: Hiya! Love2Write here. Thanks for reading my story! **AND PLEASE REVIEW!!!!!!**

_ Just about all of us know the story of "Lord of the Rings". We know Frodo is the Ringbearer, he traveled with the Fellowship, so on and so on. But, it always amazes me how one little slip-up can drastically change the future. What if Frodo and Bilbo hadn't been good friends at all? What if Gollum/Smeagol never got a hold of the ring? What if Bilbo never found it? What if the fellowship went to melt the ring TOGETHER, instead of just Sam and Frodo? What if Aragorn had died instead of Boromir?  
Life is full of 'what ifs'. Now, what if this happened….? _

Diamond of Long Cleeves sometimes went by her nickname 'Sassy'. It was certainly a well-earned nickname. She was known in the Shire for her quick and witty tongue, often called 'her sass'. Once, someone from the Proudfoot (or was it Proudfeet?) Clan told her that she was the 'Sauciest Girl Hobbit he had ever met'. Of course, Diamond (or Sassy) took that as a compliment. 

"Hello Frodo! Do you know if your cousin Pippin is here?" 

"Wha-?" Frodo looked up to find Diamond right in his face, her blue eyes twinkling and a smile on her face. "Oh, hello Sassy. How'd you get there?" 

Diamond laughed and patted Frodo on the cheek. She smirked, "You need to pay more attention to the world around you!" 

Shrugging, Frodo took a mug and filled it was ale. "Enjoying the party?" 

"Yes," Diamond told him, looking around the mass of Hobbits and food around her. Everyone was eating, drinking, and dancing, basically having fun. "Tell your Uncle Bilbo I wish him a happy 111th birthday! And many more!" 

"Will do," Frodo said, taking a swig of ale. 

"Is Pippin here?" repeated Diamond. 

"He should be," shrugged Frodo. "I haven't seen him, but-" 

"That's all I need to know," Diamond's sparkling blue eyes searched the party for Pippin. 

"Wait!" cried Frodo, smiling. "Why do you want to find him?" 

"Ohhhh… I don't know…." Diamond said nonchalantly, but the twinkle in her blue eyes and the smirk on her face told Frodo she knew EXACTLY why she was looking for Pippin. 

"Well, don't kiss him too much, Diamond. He can barely take your sass, let alone your kisses," Frodo mumbled as Diamond dissolved into the crowd. He grinned. It was no secret that Sassy was sweet on his cousin, Peregrin Took (Pippin). And it was no secret that Pippin was sweet on her… but at the same time, Pippin was afraid of Sassy. Of course, it was quite smart to be a little afraid of Diamond…… 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"Pippin?" Merry whispered urgently, as he looked in one of the tents set up for Bilbo's 111th Birthday party. "Pip? Are you here?" 

"Hello Merry!" came a voice behind Meriadoc Brandybuck. 

"Ah!" yelped Merry, whirling around, coming face to face with Pippin. "Peregrin Took! I've been looking for you!" 

"I'm sorry," grinned Pippin, holding a mug full of ale. 

He didn't look sorry at all. 

With an exasperated sigh, Merry snatched the ale of Pippin's hands, "Give me that," he took a swig, then threw the mug to the side. "Are we going to do it?" 

"Do what?" 

"The fireworks." 

"The fireworks?" 

"Shush! Not so loud! Gandalf will hear us!" 

Pippin gave a laugh. "Come on, Merry! Let's do it!" 

"Peregrin Took! I've been looking for you! Getting into trouble again, are we?" 

Pippin and Merry whirled around to find Diamond standing behind them. She stood akimbo, a smirk pasted on her pretty face. Pippin's eyes lit up when he saw the beautiful Hobbit. Merry, on the other hand… 

"Oh, no," he groaned. "It's you." 

"Hello, to you, too, Merry," Diamond gave a cheerful laugh. "What are you boys doing?" 

"Let's tell her, Merry!" Pippin's eyes glittered with delight. 

"Fine," snapped Merry. He turned to look at Diamond and was once again struck by her beauty. Why did Pippin get all the pretty Hobbits? I mean, sure Pippin was funny and nice and smarter then most people gave him credit for, but he wasn't perfect. Merry, on the other hand, never had any girls. Of course, he had always been kind of afraid of girls. Diamond especially….. 

"We're getting Gandalf's fireworks. We want to try them!" 

Diamond smirked and her eyes lit up. "Sounds like fun!" 

"That's my girl," Pippin patted her on the back. Hard. Too hard. 

"Watch it, Took," Diamond coughed when Pippin whacked her on the back. Then another cough escaped her lips. Pippin watched Diamond's coughing fit with worried eyes. 

"Hey," he said. "Are you okay?" 

Diamond tried to shake her head, but couldn't. She was coughing too hard. 

"Is she okay?" Merry whispered. Even he sounded worried. That was a rarity. 

"Yeah, I think so, sometimes she gets these awful coughing fits," Pippin explained, looking at Diamond. 

For a few more minutes Diamond coughed into her hands, practically shaking with the impact of each convulsion. When she was finished with her coughing fit, Diamond looked at her hands. Trickles of blood rested in her palms. Had she coughed up blood again? Blue eyes wide, Diamond wiped the blood on her dress before Pippin could see. 

"Well, gentlemen. What are we waiting for? That firework won't light itself!" 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"Who was that?" 

Frodo looked around and smiled at Estella Bolger. The other Hobbit smiled back at him shyly, nervously playing with one of her nut-brown tendrils. "Hello Estella," Frodo said to her. "That was Diamond of Long Cleeves, don't you know her?" 

"Oh, yes. Yes, yes, yes, of course," Estella looked around nervously. Frodo smiled at his friend softly. He was used to the way rabbit-like Estella always looked so nervous. 

Like she showed in her actions, Estella Bolger was constantly nervous. Of course, she was naturally born with a nervous personality, but it wasn't just that. Sometimes conversations went on in her head. And sometimes she even saw creatures walking around. Creatures like Hobbits, Elves, and Humans... But she was always the only one who ever saw them. No one else could. Just her. It scared the living daylights out of her. Which mad her jumpier than she already was. The shy, quiet, rabbit-like Hobbit had no idea what was wrong with her. Why did she SEE these creatures? 

Frodo smiled at Estella. He always thought she looked like a rabbit, kind of nervous, with green eyes that constantly searched her surroundings. 

"Yes," Estella whispered, her voice barely audible. "I've met her before." 

In an effort to comfort her, Frodo took Estella's hand. The two Hobbits had been friends for years and years and years. 

"Frodo…" 

"Yes, Estella?" 

"I feel sick to my stomach." 

"Are you all right?" 

"No, I…" stammered Estella, her green eyes wide. "I have a bad feeling deep down inside." 

Frodo frowned. "What do you mean?" 

"Something's going to happen," a tear slid down Estella's cheek. "And it's not going to be pleasant." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

Pippin and Merry were washing dishes as punishment. 

"That'll teach you, you young troublemakers," Gandalf huffed. "Last time I'll find you in my fireworks, right?" 

Both Merry and Pippin nodded miserably. 

Then Gandalf just gave out a hearty laugh and shook his head. "You two amaze me. After this pile of dishes you may go." 

"Thank you, Gandalf," Merry and Pippin chorused. After Gandalf left, Diamond walked up to the two boys. Like always, she was wearing a smirk. 

"Hello, guys," she grinned, watching them work. 

"How come you didn't get in trouble," Merry muttered bitterly. 

"Because I'm a girl." 

"What's that got to do with anything? You should be here doing dishes with us!" 

"Ah, but I wasn't the who actually lit the firework. I stayed behind the tent and watched you two light it." 

"But you urged us to do it!" Merry complained. 

"No, you were going to do it whether I was there or not," Diamond's eyes twinkled. "You know that, Meriadoc." 

"Don't call me that, Sassy, or you WON'T live to regret it." 

Sassy turned to Pippin. "He's touchy today, isn't he?" 

Pippin just gave a laugh and grinned at Diamond. "You're the only one I know who can always wiggle your way out of trouble." 

"It's a gift," Diamond walked over to Pippin and gave him a peck on the cheek, then she grimaced. "Ugh. You have soap on your cheek." 

"I think I'm going to be sick," Merry muttered as he stared at Diamond. _She's very pretty_, he thought. _Very pretty indeed._

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

_It's about time…_ Bilbo thought to himself._ I should go up and do my speech._ His hand sneaked into his pocket, just to make sure the ring was still there. A smile lit up his face. Ah, his ring. His lovely, golden ring. 

"Bilbo!" a young Hobbit walked right up to Bilbo and grinned. "Tell us the story about the trolls!" 

Bilbo laughed. "I sure will, little miss. Come on, now." 

As the two Hobbits walked, Bilbo began his story. "And then a troll came after us…." 

But something was wrong. 

Dreadfully wrong. 

"Lord of the Rings" was changed drastically by one little slip up. By one pocket that happened to be slightly open. Opened just enough so the ring could escape. 

Unbeknownst to Bilbo, his ring fell out and landed in the grass. There, it waited for the one. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

"Are you finished with your punishment?" 

"Yes, no thanks to you." 

Diamond stuck her tongue out at Merry, then turned her attention to Pippin. "I'm glad you're done now. Come! Let's get into more trouble!" the familiar twinkle was in her eye. 

"Only if you take some of the punishment," Merry complained. 

"Actually, Pearl said that Bilbo is going to make his speech soon," Pippin said. Pearl was his sister. 

"All right," sighed Diamond. "Let's go hear what Bilbo has to say." 

"I'm sure it'll be interesting," Pippin said, his voice encouraging. 

It was then that the ring made its move. As Diamond, Merry and Pippin walked toward Bilbo, something caught Diamond's eye. 

"What's this?" Diamond bent down and picked up a ring. She examined it closely. _It's very pretty…_ the thought went through her head. _So precious…_

"It's a ring," Merry said bluntly. 

"I do have eyes, you know, Meriadoc. I was just wondering what it was doing on the ground." 

"Beats me," shrugged Merry. _Why do I always have to be so cruel to Diamond?_ Merry thought with disgust. 

"Hello!" Frodo and Estella walked up to Merry, Pippin, and Sassy. Frodo Baggins grinned. "Bilbo's going to make his speech soon! Better come along!" 

"We will! But look!" Pippin pointed to the ring. "Diamond found a ring!" 

_That ring looks familiar…_ Frodo thought. 

While her friends talked, Diamond stared at the ring. It was so beautiful it captivated her. "So precious…" she murmured. Ever so slowly, she slipped it on her finger. 

Everyone's mouth fell open in surprise. 

"Ack!" Pippin yelped. "Where'd Diamond go!" 

Frodo stared at the place where Diamond had been. "She disappeared!" 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 

In the bushes a pair of eyes saw Diamond disappear. 

He knew what had happened. He knew that Diamond was invisible. Yes, yes, yes, he knew. 

There in the bushes, the creature hissed two words. 

"My precioussss….." 


	2. The Eye

"Where'd Diamond go!" Frodo cried. Doubled over in pain, Estella gasped for breath. She was feeling sicker to her stomach by the minute.  
  
Pippin shook his head, eyes filled with worry. "I haven't the slightest idea! She just disappeared! What happened? Diamond! Diamond love! Can you hear me?"  
  
Diamond could hear him. And she could see HIM. But somehow, she knew he couldn't see her. Then everything around her seemed to dissolve like sugar in water. Anxious, but annoyed at the same time, she looked around. "Hello?" she called out.  
  
"I wasn't expecting you." The voice came from behind Diamond.  
  
She whirled around, but found no one there. "Where are you?" she demanded. "Show yourself! Who are you?"  
  
The voice let out with a loud, horrible laugh.  
  
"Ah!" Diamond covered her ears. The laugh was just too terrible to hear.  
  
"It is I."  
  
"Who is I?" Diamond shrilled, blue eyes cold and icy. Like someone lost in the dark, she staggered around, trying to find the voice. Then all of a sudden, a dot appeared in the distance. It was red and small at first, but then grew bigger and bigger and bigger. Before Diamond could realize it, the big red eye was in front of her. It stared at her. Piercing her. Diamond gasped and tried to back away, but couldn't. The evil stare felt like a knife cutting into her heart.  
  
"I am Sauron," the eye told her.  
  
"I've heard that name before," Diamond murmured. "I can't remember who you are, though..."  
  
"I wasn't expecting you."  
  
"You said that already."  
  
"I wasn't."  
  
"Who are you, Sauron?"  
  
"I want the ring."  
  
Diamond frowned and looked down at the ring on her finger. "It is mine."  
  
"No, it is mine."  
  
"You're mistaken."  
  
"No," Sauron's voice rose to a terrible volume. Once again, Diamond covered her ears. "YOU are mistaken, Hobbit. Take the ring to me. Take it to the Prancing Pony Inn in Bree. One of my servants will be there to get it."  
  
"Why should I?" Diamond's eyes narrowed.  
  
"Because if you don't... Your loved ones will feel your decision."  
  
"I'm an orphan," snapped Diamond. "I have no loved ones."  
  
The eye shifted its glare to Pippin. Poor Pippin was scrambling around trying to find the invisible Diamond.  
  
"You love him, don't you," the Eye continued to stare at Pippin Took.  
  
"Who? Pip?" asked Diamond. Her eyes softened. "Yes, I do love him."  
  
"He shall be the first one to die if you do not give me the ring."  
  
Diamond's blue eyes went wide. "No! You can't!" A tear slid down her cheek. She wiped it awayquickly, anger smoldering inside her, annoyed that she was crying, angry that Sauron threatened to kill Pippin. Pippin: the only Hobbit in Middle Earth she cared about. Pippin: The only Hobbit in Middle Earth who cared about HER. Although Diamond was strong, she needed Pippin. And he needed her. "Please… You can't… no…"  
  
"Bring me the ring."  
  
"I feel I shouldn't..."  
  
"Pippin shall feel your decision."  
  
"No… Please...." Tears stung Diamond's eyes.  
  
"You have fifty hours, Diamond of Long Cleeves," Sauron boomed. "You have fifty hours to bring the ring to the Prancing Pony Inn in Bree."  
  
"I…." Diamond knew what she had to do.  
  
"Oh my," Estella mumbled to herself.  
  
Frodo stared at her. "What's wrong?"  
  
Once again Estella heard a conversation inside her head. But this time, it was different. This time it was between Diamond and someone who claimed to be Sauron. She heard the whole conversation. And her face turned deathly pale. Sauron told Diamond that the ring made her invisible, which is why the others couldn't see her.  
  
"What's the matter, Estella?" Frodo sounded anxious now. "You look pale. Don't get sick on us! Not with Diamond disappearing!"  
  
"We have to find Diamond," Estella whispered, her face a white sheet.  
  
"Of course we do!" Pippin was frantic.  
  
"It's more serious than that, I'm afraid," Estella said. "Diamond's invisible. We have to find her. She's in serious trouble."  
  
Merry gave Estella a skeptical look. "That sounds more like fiction than fact, how do you know this?"  
  
All Estella did was shake her head. "It's too hard to explain."- she looked at the frantic faces of Pippin, Frodo and Merry- "I'll tell you all later. First, we have to find Diamond. Oh, my."- She wrung her hands nervously, green eyes wide and darting around, looking more rabbit like than ever- "I'm so scared."  
  
Estella knew it would be difficult to find Diamond. Especially since Diamond was invisible and already on her way to Bree. 


	3. Bridge of Invisibility

Diamond hardly ever cried. It was one of the things she was proud of.  
"I'm not a wimp," she constantly told people, a smirk on her face. "I hardly ever cry. I'm too strong for that." But stumbling through the forest, looking for Bree, Diamond cried. It had all happened so fast. Now Pippin's life was in danger. Who WAS Sauron?  
  
iBree…. /iShe thought. iI have to get to Bree and give the ring to one of Sauron's servants. Was that what he said? Or did he say himself? No, it was servants. And I have fifty hours. Fifty hours to do it! Where IS Bree?/i  
  
Diamond stumbled through the woods for half an hour, trying to find a road or something. What she didn't know was that Merry, Pippin, Frodo and Estella were trying to find her. They, too, were wandering through the forest.  
  
"Diamond of Long Cleeves, stop if you value your life," a hooded creature grabbed Diamond by the arm. For a second Diamond froze. Then she whirled around quickly to look at the 'thing' that had her. Unfortunately, it had a hood and she couldn't see what it was.  
  
"I.. I..." Diamond was scared spitless, but she tried to yank free of the creature's grasp anyway. Then she stopped and glared at the creature. "Wait. How can you see me?"  
  
"I beg your pardon?"  
  
"How can you see me? You know I'm invisible. I know I'm invisible. I am. Pippin can't see me. Neither can Frodo and... what was that other Hobbit?… Estella. No one. How... How can you?"  
  
Diamond swore she saw the thing smile. "Welcome to invisibility, Diamond of Long Cleeves."  
  
"How do you know who I am?" Diamond demanded. "What is going on here?"  
  
"I know many things, Diamond of Long Cleaves."  
  
"You can just call me-"  
  
"-Sassy," the creature interrupted. "I know."  
  
Diamond stared up at the creature cloaked in black. "Who are you?"  
  
So very slowly, the creature drew back its hood. Diamond braced herself for something terrible and ugly. But the creature that emerged from the velvet hood was not hideous at all. Actually, it was a she. And she was beautiful.  
  
"Oh…" Diamond gave a gasp when she saw who it was before her. The golden lady was not an Elf (too short), nor was she a Hobbit or Dwarf (too tall). She couldn't be from the race of men (too exotic). Actually, Diamond didn't know WHAT the flaxen lady was. Just that she was beautiful. They lady was literally all in gold. Even her skin was a touch of pale yellow. Long, wavy hair spilled down her shoulders like a golden waterfall and eyes with yellow irises glistened.  
  
"What are you?" Sassy whispered.  
  
The golden creature gave a sad smile. "I'm sorry, Sassy. But I cannot tell you what I am."  
  
"What about a name?" Diamond mumbled sarcastically. "Can you give me that?"  
  
"My name is too difficult for someone from this world to say. It is too long and complicated. Your tongue couldn't mutter a syllable. My name in Elvish is Maegnovwen. You may call me that, if you so desire."  
  
"I can't even pronounce that. How about Mae for short?"  
  
Maegnovwen (or Mae) gave a laugh. "I suppose so."  
  
"What is going on here?" Diamond asked Mae softly.  
  
"You are invisible, Diamond."  
  
"I know that," Diamond snapped. "But if I'm so invisible, how can you see me?"  
  
"Because no one can see me either. Believe it or not, invisible people CAN see other invisible people."  
  
"That sounds odd," muttered Diamond.  
  
"But it is true. Do you know what invisibility is, Diamond of Long Cleeves?"  
  
"When people can't see you?"  
  
"That's part of it. Did you know that Middle Earth isn't the only world in this universe?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Middle Earth is only one world among many. Some people call these other worlds 'Dimensions', but to me, they are just different worlds. There is the earth of only men, there is this place, and there is the dimension/world I come from. That's only to name a few."  
  
"Are you kidding me?"  
  
"Why would I do that to you, Diamond of Long Cleeves?" Mae smiled. Diamond noticed that she had a ring on one of her fingers.  
  
"You can drop the 'Long Cleeves' thing."  
  
"Being invisible is when you are between two worlds. I guess you could say it is sort of….. a bridge between the two dimension. It is where you are so much in the other world that nobody can see you…. Yet, you are not COMPLETELY in that other world. You are still in your home world. It's just nobody can see you there."  
  
Diamond frowned. "I'm confused."  
  
"Understandable. When you are invisible you are borderline between two dimensions/worlds. Stuck in the middle. Understand now?"  
  
"I think," Diamond said slowly. "Yes, I think I do. But wouldn't it hurt? To be between two worlds?"  
  
"Not necessarily. You're between right now."  
  
"I didn't even know there were different dimensions, or worlds, or whatever."  
  
"Dimensions, worlds, they're the same thing," Mae smiled.  
  
"How do you actually cross over to that different world?"  
  
"If you know in your heart that the world you want to go to is there and you think about it very, very hard, then your ring will transport you there. When the ring transports you to the desired dimension it will fall off your finger automatically. End up in a pocket or your hand. If you take the ring off YOURSELF, then you will be returned to your home dimension."  
  
"Is that how everyone gets to different worlds? By rings?"  
  
"Not normal rings. Magic rings. Like the one you have. Creatures in your dimension might call it the one ring, but it's really not. There are others like it," Mae winked. "Just not in this world."  
  
"Amazing…"  
  
"Some people, like me, just wander on this bridge. Enjoying the fact of being invisible," Mae smiled. Then she frowned. "Just beware."  
  
"Beware? Of what?"  
  
"You do know what will happen if you take the ring off your finger, right?"  
  
"No."  
  
"You'll get transported back to your home dimension. Middle Earth, in your case."  
  
"Yes, so?"  
  
"It is dangerous to wander on this bridge of invisibility, on the borderline of two different dimensions," warned Mae. "I do it, I'll admit. But it's still very dangerous."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"If you leave the ring on for more than 24 hours at a time you will get stuck."  
  
"Stuck?"  
  
"Yes. These kinds of rings exist just to let you transport between dimensions. Nothing more. At least, not a lot more. The rings don't like it if you use them to play around on the bridge of invisibility."  
  
"Rings can't think," scoffed Diamond.  
  
"Magic ones can. Like yours. Anyway, if the ring is on your finger for more than twenty-four hours you will become invisible permanently. The ring will grow onto your finger."  
  
"Permanently?" gasped Diamond.  
  
"Yes, dear. That's what I said. You will be forever stuck between two dimensions. No one will be able to see you …. Well, almost no one…."  
  
"What do you mean 'almost'?"  
  
"There are some rare and extraordinary people in this universe. One out of every half a million creatures can see everyone stuck on the bridge of invisibility."  
  
"Not the people who AREN'T stuck? Just the people who ARE?"  
  
Mae nodded. "Yes, don't ask me why. I don't know. These gifted people can only see the creatures that are STUCK in invisibility. No one else. Unfortunately, everyone thinks these gifted people are hallucinating and they are thought of as crazy. Although they really aren't."  
  
"That's terrible."  
  
"Although these gifted creatures cannot see the people merely VISITING invisibility (like you and I), sometimes they can hear our conversations."  
  
"Strange…"  
  
All of a sudden Mae fell very, very silent. The golden lady placed her hood back on her head, then said, "There's someone here. Looks like your friends. They are looking for you. Estella is a very gifted Hobbit…."  
  
"You mean?" Diamond asked, mouth open wide. "Estella is-"  
  
"Shush," interrupted Maegnovwen. "I must go back to my other world now. Good-bye, Diamond of Long Cleeves. We shall meet again someday. Oh, but one last thing."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Whatever you do, do NOT give the ring to Sauron."  
  
"He'll kill Pippin, though!" exclaimed Diamond. "He'll kill Pippin if I don't!"  
  
"He will try to kill Peregrin Took, that is true. But do not give him the ring, Sassy. Don't give it to him. Don't give it to him. If you do he'll take over this dimension, the dimension of men, and others…. Just like… never mind. Don't do it, Diamond of Long Cleeves," the golden lady pleaded as she ever so slowly took off her ring. "Don't do it," with that she disappeared. For a few seconds, Diamond just stood there, staring where Mae had been five seconds earlier.  
  
That was when Pippin, Estella, Frodo and Merry burst through the brush. Diamond almost ran to hide, but then she remembered that she still had the ring on and they couldn't see her.  
  
IIt's quite funny/I she mused as she watched her Hobbit friends run around, looking for her. She was right next to them and they couldn't see her.  
  
Estella's head was swimming with conversation. Someone called Maegnovwen had just been talking with Diamond….. She had heard the whole conversation.  
  
"We have to find Diamond," Estella mumbled quietly.  
  
"Of course!" Pippin was frantic.  
  
IDon't give it to him/I Mae's words echoed in Diamond's head. Inside, she knew she shouldn't…. But Pippin… she had to think about him… Pippin…. Pippin….  
  
"I love you, Pip," Diamond whispered, then headed towards Bree.  
  
"Well, hello."  
  
The voice came from behind Estella. She whirled around, then let out with a surprised gasp. A Dwarf stood in front of a pine tree. He grinned at her with yellow teeth."Why… who.. how'd you get there?" Estella stuttered, her green eyes displaying terror.  
  
"Estella?" Frodo glanced at his friend. It looked like Estella was staring at something in front of that Pine tree. He shifted his gaze to the spot where Estella was staring. Frodo frowned. He saw nothing amazing or extraordinary. What was Estella doing? "Are you all right?" He groped for her hand. Estella's hand was so cold it startled him.  
  
"There's a… a…" Estella stammered to Frodo, keeping her eyes locked on the Dwarf.  
  
"I'm not going to hurt you," purred the Dwarf. "My name is Loin."  
  
"Loin?" Estella's mouth was wide.  
  
"There's a Loin?" frowned Frodo. "What's going on?"  
  
"It looks like she's talking to someone not there," Pippin stared at Estella.  
  
"Yes," smirked Merry. "She's talking to invisible people."  
  
"Invisible people is right, isn't it, Estella?" Loin's eyes glittered with malicious delight.  
  
"I don't know!" cried Estella as she covered her face with her hands.  
  
"You don't know what?" Frodo asked her. He was getting worried. What was going on? Gently, he peeled Estella's hands from her face. The confusion and fright etched on her face scared him. Her usually young looks seemed old in the fading, evening light.  
  
A tear streamed down her cheek. "I don't know what the Dwarf is talking about!"  
  
"What Dwarf?!" shrilled Frodo, practically shaking the sobbing Estrella.  
  
"That Dwarf!" sobbed Estella, pointing to Loin in front of the Pine tree. "That Dwarf!"  
  
For a minute Frodo stared long and hard at the Pine tree. He saw no Dwarf. All he saw was a Pine tree. "What Dwarf are you talking about?"  
  
"Loin!" Estella pointed at Loin. "Him!"  
  
"Yes, me," Loin sighed, fingering his red beard.  
  
"I see nothing! Pippin?" Frodo turned to his friend. "Do you see anything?"  
  
Pippin shook his head. "Nothing. Just a Pine tree."  
  
"I don't see a Dwarf, either," Merry commented. "I think Estella's flipped her lid."  
  
Frodo shot Merry a death glare.  
  
All Merry did was shrug. "I mean, she's obviously seeing things."  
  
Frodo enveloped his arms around the sobbing Estella. I'm so confused Estella thought. More creatures that I see, but no on else can. Why me?  
  
"Shhh…" comforted Frodo. "Shhh…."  
  
"Yes, comfort her," Loin said. "She needs it. After all, she is one of the gifted creatures in the world that can actually see everybody stuck on the bridge of invisibility. She can see creatures like me. I am one of those stuck on the bridge."  
  
Although Estella continued to cry in Frodo's arms, she listened to Loin's voice. The Bridge of Invisibility… Mae mentioned that in the conversation between her and Diamond….. Mae also mentioned the "gifted creatures"…. She could see everyone stuck on the bridge of invisibility? Things were growing clearer….  
  
"Let's find Diamond," she whispered hoarsely.  
  
"Estella?" Frodo looked at her, his eyes worried.  
  
"We have to find her. Let's go."  
  
Diamond coughed into her hand.  
  
"I'm doing it again," she said to no one in particular. "I've got to stop these coughing habits."  
  
But she knew she couldn't help them. Leaning against a tree, she spent five minutes coughing. When she was done, a trickle of blood dribbled from her mouth.  
  
"Oh, yuck," she mumbled, wiping the blood away. "This has got to stop."  
  
Still invisible, Diamond traipsed through the woods. If only she knew the way to Bree.  
IHow long have I been out here? /IDiamond thought.i Four hours at least./I  
  
She had forty-six hours left.  
  
II'm so tired/I Diamond thought as she coughed into her hand again.  
  
IYou can't stop /IAnother one of her thoughts argued. IYou have to find someone who can tell you where Bree is.  
  
Where am I now?  
  
I don't know. I can't stop, though.  
  
I'm so tired…  
  
Think about Pippin.  
  
So tired, though…  
  
Pippin…/I  
  
For a second Diamond stopped and wiped her tired eyes. Her lips, usually in a smirk, drooped wearily on her face and for once her usually bright blue eyes were dull.  
  
"Maybe a tiny nap wouldn't hurt. I HAVE been walking for four hours."  
  
Diamond gathered some leaves and made a little bed. The Hobbit snuggled amongst the leaves and immediately fell asleep.  
  
Her last thought was 'forty-six hours'…..  
  
Sauron had always been impatient. He wanted his ring. And he wanted it NOW.  
  
The Nazgul screamed as they galloped out of Mordor. They had Sauron's strict instructions to find the Hobbit and make sure she arrived at Bree with the ring.  
  
Their screams echoed as the sun melted into the horizon.  
  
"It's getting late and I'm tired," Merry complained.  
  
"Be quiet, Merry," snapped Pippin. He was in no mood for Merry's complaints. They still hadn't found Diamond and it had been five hours. Everyone in their little party was tired and depressed.  
  
"Oh, Diamond…" whispered Pippin.  
  
"Let's go back to the Shire," urged Merry.  
  
"No!" Pippin screamed. "We can't leave her! I know you don't care about her, Merry, but I do!"  
  
IPippin thinks I don't care for Diamond? /IMerry thought. He rolled his eyes, but Estella noticed a streak of pain in his gray eyes. Merry announced, "Yeah, well, Sassy is annoying."  
  
"No, she's not! Be quiet! She's a-"  
  
"Stop it, both of you," Frodo interjected. "You guys hardly ever fight! Don't start now!"  
  
With a yawn, Diamond opened her eyes. Then she realized that Pippin was standing right in front of her.  
  
Pippin! She thought. They found me!  
  
Diamond fingered the ring on her finger. They found her, but they couldn't see her. The ring kept her invisible.  
  
"Let's go back to the Shire," repeated Merry.  
  
"We have to find Sassy," sighed Pippin, sitting down next to the invisible Diamond. She longed to reach out and give him a hug, since he looked so sad and lonely sitting there. But she couldn't. Somehow she had to get to Bree. And she wanted to go by herself.  
  
"I don't know," Frodo shrugged. "Estella? You have anything to say?"  
  
Estella shook her head, "Whatever you say, Frodo."  
  
"I think we should keep looking."  
  
Diamond smiled at Frodo.  
  
"I agree!" Pippin leaped up. "Let's find her!"  
  
"If we don't find her in a few hours," Frodo's eyes squinted as he looked at the setting sun. "Then we'll pick up the search tomorrow morning."  
  
All of the Hobbits agreed to that and went back to looking through the woods for Diamond.  
  
The invisible Sassy watched them go. Then she gave a sigh and headed back towards the Shire. Maybe someone there could tell her the way to Bree. 


End file.
